The document discusses the growing startup ecosystem in Iran. It notes that over 60% of Iran's population is under 30 and highly educated, and entrepreneurship is socially accepted. The ecosystem has many active leaders organizing events and there is high motivation among entrepreneurs. However, the ecosystem still needs improvements in areas like startup education, access to investors, and international recognition. The diaspora can help by providing mentorship, raising awareness abroad, and collaborating with the ecosystem leaders inside Iran.

1. Iran Startups –
Building Bridges from
In- and Outside
by Puja Abbassi
Iranian Brain Gain 2014-05-07

2.  Researcher & PhD Candidate - University of Cologne
 Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital
 Diversity
 Cyber Security
 Supply Chain (& Food) Security
 Work in and advise startups since 2004
 Organizer, Speaker, Startup Mentor:
Puja Abbassi http://pujaabbassi.com @puja108
Who am I

3. Iran Startup Ecosystem in 2
Years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEmZvD9FOwo

4.  More than 60% of the people are under 30 years old
 High proportion of technical educated young people
 High motivation and acceptance in society for
entrepreneurs
 Internet penetration at 60%. Mobile penetration is 120%!!
 Internetspeed low, but imporivng. Mobile speeds even
lower, but first 3G net is up.
 Online/Mobile Banking is getting possible.
 Often many sources of early-stage money from family
and friends
 Lower risk
 Maybe that‘s why there‘s no angels?
Iran – State of the Union

5. Iran Startups – State of the
Union
 Highly motivated and growing scene - often up to 40% women.
 Highly active, motivated, and experienced leaders
 Many internationally renowned events like Startup Weekend,
NEXT, FailCon, LeanStartupMachine, Seedstars, …
 Own big events with intl. speakers like “Iran Web and Mobile
Conference”
 Many opportunities still open
 Entrepreneurs motivated to do more
 Startup education still needs work
 Investors still rare and term sheets mainly in their favor (50% equity
for a round is not unheard of)
https://angel.co/iran

6. Iran Web and Mobile
Conference
 Biggest Conference on Iran Startups
 http://conf.iranwebfestival.com

7. Startup Weekend in Iran
 2000 entrepreneurs
 120 teams
 15 events
 9 cities
 18 months
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8. Iran Startups are Gaining Intl.
Interest
 Startup Rising: Iran | PandoDaily | Christopher M. Schroeder
 http://pando.com/2014/05/20/startup-rising-iran/
 The startup community in Iran is “drawing a lot of inspiration from
what’s happening in the West.” | L'Atelier - Paris | Roxanne Varza
 http://www.atelier.net/en/trends/articles/startup-community-iran-
drawing-lot-inspiration-what-happening-west_429292
 VC Firms Start Investing in Iran’s IT Market | Angle Chronicle |
Mahboobeh Khorshidi
 http://www.anglechronicle.com/vc-firms-start-investing-in-irans-it-
market/454/
 What It’s Like Being a Business Traveler in Iran | Harvard Business
Review| Christopher M. Schroeder
 http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/05/what-its-like-being-a-business-
traveler-in-iran/

9. What does the Ecosystem
need (Inside)
 More Startups
 First big exits
 More entrepreneurs
 Education
 Events
 Seminars
 Accelerators
 Money
 Angels
 Accelerators
 Early-Stage Funds
 VCs
 International Publicity and Recognition
Tech (AT) is the first
ian startup accelerator
gram. It provide startups
h seed funding, office space,
ntorship and access to an
ensive network of investors
corporates.

10. What does the Ecosystem
need from the Diaspora?
 „Mentorship and guidance. IEA could help connect these two
together.“
 Adopt-A-Founder Program
 Mentors for first Accelerator (AvaTech)
 „Be an ambassador of Iranian startups. Just spread the word and
raise awareness.“
 Articles, talks, interviews, panels, etc.
 See Roxanne, Daniel,
Christopher, etc.
 Iran’s tech ecosystem struggles to catch
up to Persian diaspora startups
 http://www.vancouverobserver.com/world/middle-east/iran’s-
tech-ecosystem-struggles-catch-persian-diaspora-startups All RightsReserved - IEA 2013
Adopt&a&Founder
ajoint initiative by IEA &AvaTech
Monday, April 28, 14

11. Notable Iranian
Entrepreneurs
 Roxanne Varza (@roxannevarza)
 startup lead @microsoft / @msftventures. cofounder @tech_eu
@girlsintech_uk @gitparis & @failcon paris. ex techcrunch france
editor @TCFR
 Shervin Pishevar (@shervin)
 GP @Sherpa, Advisor & Board Observer @Uber. Investor @Uber,
@MachineZone, @WarbyParker, @Munchery, @Tumblr, @Fab. Co-
Founder @Webs, SGN, WebOS. Crown Fellow 2014.
 Arash Ferdowsi (@arashf)
 Founder & CTO at Dropbox
 Salar Kamangar (CEO/SVP Youtube)
 Ali Jafari (@jafari)
 VP, Direct Sales Europe at Twitter

12. What Can You Do?
Spread the Word!
Get in Touch!
Work together!

13. Recources from Iran
 StartupCast by Hadi Farnoud (English)
 https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/startupcast/id878112085
 https://soundcloud.com/hadifarnoud/sets/startupcast
 Medium Collection (English)
 https://medium.com/iran-startups
 Iran Startups
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/startupir/
 http://irstartups.com (@Startupir)
 Iran Entrepreneurship Association (Farsi)
 http://iranea.com
 https://www.startupdigest.com/digests/iran
 http://karya.ir (@KaryaEdu)

14. Startup Ecosystem Leaders in
Iran
 Mohsen Malayeri (@malayeri)
 Hamidreza Ahmadi (@hrahmadi8)
 Hadi Farnoud (@hadifarnoud)
 Shayan Shalileh (@shayanshalileh)
 Mobin Ranjbar (@MobinRanjbar)

15. What Can You Do?
Spread the Word!
Get in Touch!
Work together!